About Our Firm

A FULL-SERVICE LAW FIRM, GO CERENO provides counsel and assistance thru its team of experienced and dedicated legal professionals committed in providing quality legal services tailored to meet the diverse needs of both domestic and foreign clients in matters of incorporation, off-shore registration, corporate reorganizations, investments, regulatory compliance, insurance, financial technology, banking and anti-money laundering, petroleum, energy, gaming, civil aviation, intellectual property, government procurement, labor and employment law compliance and litigation, employment documentation, as well as their immigration requirements, tax planning and litigation, asset disposition and tax incentives, settlement of estate, and property and land acquisition.

The Firm, likewise, actively represents and assists clients in the fields of civil law, family law and family relations, real estate and property, citizenship and a host of criminal and administrative disputes and cases. It hence, handles both commercial, as well as non-commercial, matters arising from a broad range of legal concerns and disputes.

The Firm strives for excellence in every aspect of its practice and prioritizes client satisfaction by providing for personalized attention, practical advice, and efficient legal solutions tailored to clients’ specific needs.

GO CERENO prides itself in delivering exceptional legal representation and in its dedication to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct.

History

GO CERENO was formally organized in February 13, 2013 to primarily engage in the practice of corporate law, labor and taxation, and to allow clients a ONE-STOP SHOP destination for all their commercial concerns, bringing to the Firm the Founding Partners’ respective experiences in both law and accounting firm services in dealing with the myriad of issues that come along with counselling and assisting both domestic and foreign clients with their commercial requirements. 

Lito A. Go, Jr. 

Managing Partner

The Managing and Founding Partner, Atty. Go is a Harvard Law School-trained Arellano Law graduate from San Beda University. He is a former lawyer at Law Firm Tanjuatco & Partners (now Tanjuatco Macababbad and Associates), a law firm specializing in the practice fields of corporate law, dispute resolution and litigation. Atty. Go was there immersed in the areas of corporate law and litigation, corporate housekeeping, contract law, employment law compliance, labor relations and litigation, employment documentation, immigration, and a bevy of civil, criminal and administrative cases. He was, during these times, likewise appointed to sit in several companies as its Director and/or Corporate Secretary.

His background in the above fields of immersion has allowed him to intelligently render opinions and effectively manage cases and matters involving corporate law, labor, dispute resolution and litigation.

Atty. Go subsequently joined a business process outsourcing (BPO) company, Transcom Worldwide (Philippines), Inc. (Transcom) as its Legal Manager, and later as its General Legal Counsel for its regional administrative support unit for North America and Asia-Pacific, Transcom Worldwide B.V. ROHQ. There he is responsible for corporate strategic legal direction, providing affiliate entities in the region, its executives and senior management with effective counsel on policies, implementation and enforcement, including the handling of active cases and matters under litigation, and the management of its corporate housekeeping and regulatory compliance requirements. Among his specific duties with Transcom are to ensure that employment law compliance is maintained and that all labor relations cases are handled and managed properly and effectively, to strategically create the benchmark for proper employment documentation and position movements in a manner that best suits the business, and to sit and function as Assistant Corporate Secretary to Transcom and all its affiliated entities. He is in charge of overall policy determination for the company.

Atty. Go concentrates on a vast area of legal practice from corporate law, governance and compliance, real estate and property law, labor and taxation to general litigation.

Conrad P. Cereno 

Senior Partner

A Co-Founding and Senior Partner, Atty. Cereno is a CPA-lawyer who began his legal career as a trial lawyer at D.A. Tejero and Amoranto Law Offices, a law firm that specializes in labor relations, corporate and business law, and intellectual property law.  Being a CPA-lawyer, he subsequently joined an auditing firm and worked as a Manager in the Tax Advisory and Compliance Department of Punongbayan & Araullo (P&A), a member firm of Grant Thornton International. During Atty. Cereno’s tenure with P&A, his background in law and accounting helped in developing his skills at conducting studies and rendering tax opinions and planning services in the areas of tax minimization, corporate restructuring & planning, international tax treaties, local government taxation and tax compliance. He represented several multinational clients in tax assessment and refund cases before the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), several local government units (LGU’s) and the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA). He also acted as resource speaker on different public seminars conducted by P&A.

He later on joined UT Global Services Limited-Regional Headquarters (UT Global) as a Senior Tax Specialist for its Oil and Gas Reporting Unit. Among Atty. Cereno’s duties were to ensure tax compliance of affiliate entities in different countries, such as Australia, Indonesia, Curacao and Africa.

Atty. Cereno thereafter worked as Senior Legal Manager and Head of Tax Services for the Filinvest Group of Companies (Filinvest Group) where he handled tax assessment and refund cases before the BIR, different LGU’s and the CTA.  At Filinvest Group, he was in charge of tax planning strategies, property acquisition and management of the tax incentives of the projects and entities registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the Board of Investments (BOI). He therein served as Corporate Information Officer of Filinvest Group’s listed companies, i.e., Filinvest Land, Inc. and Filinvest Development Corporation, and as Corporate Secretary in some of the entities within the Filinvest Group.

He also served as the Tax Head for LBC Express, Inc. and Vice-President and Head of Tax for the Federal Land, Inc. Group.

Atty. Cereno, thus, has vast experience in taxation and regularly advises domestic and foreign clients in all tax-related matters. He assists clients in corporate reorganizations and tax planning, such as, but not limited to, property acquisitions and implementation of property-for-share schemes.

Before attending law school, Atty. Cereno worked as an auditor at one of the country’s largest accounting firms. Atty. Cereno earned his degree in accountancy from the University of Santo Tomas and his law degree from San Beda University.

 Karlo Benito R. Cruz

Partner

A Partner, Atty. Cruz is a graduate of San Beda College of Law and who has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. He began his career as a litigator working for reputable and renowned law offices, until he was appointed as a Legal Officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and where his expertise in litigation was widely utilized.

As Legal Officer and prior to joining the Firm, Atty. Cruz was a member of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the BFP National Headquarters, as well as of Regions 3 and 7, both as its Chief Legal Officer. There, he was deeply immersed in the area of government procurement.

Atty. Cruz is a holder of a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.

Angelica F. Rañola

Associate

Atty. Rañola is an Associate delving in a broad spectrum of practice fields, which include corporate law, governance and compliance, labor and dispute resolution, taxation, petroleum and energy laws, and general litigation.

She effectively works and coordinates with various government agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Board of Investments (BOI), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the, and various local government units (LGU’s), and with clients alike, rendering intelligent legal opinions therefor.

Atty. Rañola holds a Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration and Governance from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and a Juris Doctor Degree from San Beda University Alabang School of Law.

Ino R. Trinidad

Associate

Atty. Trinidad is an Associate assisting clients in the matters of taxation, tax planning, property acquisitions, labor and dispute resolution, and general litigation.

Prior to joining the Firm, Atty. Trinidad was an Accounting Associate at the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) where he handled its Finance Division, and during which time he was deeply immersed in financial management, bookkeeping and tax compliance – appearing before various RDO’s therefor.

Atty. Trinidad received his Bachelor’s Degree in Management Accounting from the University of Santo Tomas and his Juris Doctor Degree from San Beda University College of Law.

Marian Gizelle M. Mahinay

Paralegal Associate

Ms. Mahinay is a Paralegal Associate immersing herself in contract preparation and review, taxation, labor and dispute resolution, and general litigation. She effectively works and coordinates with various government agencies and local government units (LGU’s).

Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Mahinay was a Paralegal at Carambas Paner Law where she was immersed in the areas of criminal, civil and labor litigation and highly involved in the preparation of legal documents and pleadings, as well as the conduct of interviews and preparation for trial of both clients and witnesses.

Ms. Mahinay received her Bachelor’s Degree in Financial Management and Systems Development from San Beda College and her Juris Doctor Degree from Arellano University School of Law.